Press and daily Dakotaian. (Yankton, Dakota Territory [S.D.]) 1880-1889, 1887-05-17
A TRADE REVIEW.

Interesting Conclusions In Connection
with the Commerce Law.
New York special: r. G. Dun 81 Co.'s
weekly trade review says:A great revolu-
tion in business is going on, with radi-
caliy conflicting accounts of serious
losses at some localities and in some
branches, and OF wonderful gains at
other places or in ether departments OF
trade and industry. The dliiiua..ss ~ 81
reaching just conclusions respecting the
general tendency is enhanced. The in
terstate act Is aut one of several causes
which contribute to produce this reyolu-
tion IN commerce. Expansion in the
volume and change In the kind of cur
rency is another not less important,
Most unexpeotSd results are produced.
The interstate cot clearly helps some
who bitterly opposed it, and as clearly
INJURIES other who expected great benefits
from its operation.
Thus, the river business of the west is
expanding under the influence OF the
law, and the railroads are at the same
time getting larger earnings from the
part of the traffic they retain, while not
few cities find, as Cincinnati does, that
trade in many lines is greatly EN-,
barrassed. One general tendency is dis
closed by the urgent demands for sus-
pension or change of the law, especially
| from those who most favored its enact
| ment.
Serious diversion of trade from western
cities, which have been the chief oen-
ters OF distribution is in progress, and
multitude OF smaller towns are reap-
ing the benefit. Western products do
not. as rule, gain anything in eastern
marketa, Wheat has advanced 81 cents
| since the act went into effect; corn and
oats have declined fraction; pork is
about the same in price; lard half cent
lower; hogs $s cents lower. and beef
sells at the same price. Cotton has
been advanced lc, but this change, like
that in wheat, is purely speculative. and
/ therefore threatens reaction through
punishment OF demand. Railroad build.
ing is not checked by the act as yet, and
there is probability that, by eneourag-
ing traffic at many instead of few
centers OF trade, the law may tend
to the building of numerous local roads
and parallel or rival lines.
The output of pig iron again increases
reaching about 139,300 tons weekly May
L /. But this is probably high water mark
for the time, many furnaces In the
Pittsburg region having since been
"banked" because of that coke strike
while other eastern furnaces discontinued
production On account of rail rates.
II Enormous imports also tend to de-
preston. The lockout of stone moulders
has increased in Importance, and sus
pioions are growing that the manufaot-
urers desire, through general suspen-
sion Of work, to reach higher range o!
prices for products.
i Exports of wheat in April were 6,524,.
06I bushels, against 5,352, 975 last year
with $685. ,260 barrels of -four, against
703, 1913 last year. Exports of bread
stnffs Sl2,534. .439 in value, against $11,-
95994S last year, showing that the
comparatively quiet market in thai
month favored large shipments. But
prices have since climbed rapidly, will
sales of nearly $4,000 600 bushels in {
week end exports are checked, while
accounts OF seeding show great lncreas,
in acreage IN Dakota and Minnesota.
u The lumber trade shows an inereast
, OF demand with scernity in some lines.